Compensating pendulum fob clocks



VRIGHT L. COFFINBERRY. OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHGAN.

COMENSATNG PENDULM FOR- CLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent No.

22,413 dated December 28, 1858.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, Villeret-ir L. Corwin'- ennnv, ot Grand Rapids, in the county ot Kent and State ot Michigan, have invented a new and niproved Apparatus tor Coinpensating tor the Expansion and Contraction of Pendulum-Rods; and l do hereby declare that the following is a tull and eX- act description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters or" reference marked thereon.

The nature ot niy invention consists' in the combination of two inet-als of different degrees ot expansibility, so arranged and adapted, as to completely overeoine all the expansion and contraction ot any siniple pendulum rod, and can be used in any pen-A duluni clock.

One very important advantage which it possesses over all other apparatus tor the saine purpose, is, that it is perfectly adjustable, and can be altered so as to compensate incre, or less, by siinply turning the screws arranged for that purpose.

To enable others skilled in the art, to inake and use niy invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

En the construction ot my compensating apparatus, l have used two pieces ot good, hannnered steel, about of an inch thick, and six inches long shaped as s, s, s, s, in the drawings, tiled and dressed about square, tiled away at the center about of its thickness, so as to be slightly ltexible at tl at point, with an angle turned at each end, corresponding with shoulders toward the center; between which a bar of Zinc, corresponding in size with the steel bars, is placed, and iXed permanently by soldering, o1' pinning, or both.

The adjusting screws A, A, A, pass through the arni at the end of the steel bars, running to the shoulder, and entering it tar enough to hold the end of the screws securely; with a pin through the arln, passing through a groove in the neck ot the screw, to keep it :troni withdrawing, when turned by the inilled head, for adjusting the apparatus. On the adjusting screws are hung two Suspenders C, C, niade of brass, through these Suspenders are cut screw threads titting the screws on which they hang.

N, N, in the drawings, are only steadypins, which pass entirely through the apparatus, having no eiiect upon it, except to keep it parallel.

H, H, are hooks, or ring and hook tor connecting the apparatus with the rod and ball.

ln tl e foregoing description ot the construction ot iny compensating apparatus; have described, the apparatus which l have in in v clock but thn size ot' the apparatus, and the construction niay be varied to suit the circumstances. fr zinc bar ot Q an inch long, placed in the saine way between two shoulders otl the steel bars; will produce the saine eltect, and in that case, the apparatus would have the saine length of range for the adjusting screws and suspenders` and be only about inches in length. I

)a nianutacturer, of niy apparatus, should have a pyroineter upon which he can place every apparatus when completed, and adj usty each one, and niark upon the steel bars where the suspendcrs should hang, tor the ditterent lengths ot penduluni rod, for which each apparatus is adapted.

The length of iny apjriaratus hangs at right angles with the pendulum rod. and oscillates with it, as shown in the drawings.

rlie penduluin ball should rest at its center, as shown in the drawings; so as to have its center ot gravity al Yays at the saure distance troni the center of its oscillations.

For large, cityv clocks, where a heavy penduluni ball, and rod are necessaryY niy apparatus should be heavy in proportion; the power, or torce, ot expansion or contraction, is only liniited by the strength ot the inetals of which the apparatus is coniposed; therefore there can be no doubt about the power, to acconiplish the desired object, so long as the eleinents are governed by natural laws.

The operation ot iny apparatus, is as tollows: Suppose, when first hung into a clock, the weather to be teinperate, and the steel bars to be straight; when the temperature is raised, the Zinc expanding three tinies as inuch as the steel, the bars would notl be straight, but the ends ot the upper bar would be raised above the level of its center, and the ends ot the lower bar, would be depressed below a level of its center; the ends ot the steel bars. or nearly the ends, being confined by the suspenders C, C. could noty separate, consequently, the centers ot the two bars, inust have approacned each other, and

the sanie change of temperature which brought the centers nearer together, would also elongate the pendulum rod, and vice versa, when the temperature is falling. The nearer the c-enter of the apparatus the suspenders C, C, are placed, the less the conipeneation. and the farther from the center the greater; hence by revolving the Screws either Way, as the case may require, a perfeet adjustment can he effected.

That I claini as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of two nieta-ls of derent expansibilty in the manner and for the purposes set forth in the foregoing specilicatons.

VRIGHT L. COFFINBERRY.

Signed in presence of- I. S. CROSBY, JAMES BENTHAN. 

